Luo Ruiqing

Luo Ruiqing
General Luo Ruiqing
Nickname(s)Luo the Tall
BornMay 31, 1906
Nanchong, Sichuan, China
DiedAugust 3, 1978(1978-08-03) (aged 72)
Heidelberg, West Germany
Allegiance People's Republic of China
Service / branch People's Liberation Army
Years of service1928–1966
RankGrand General
CommandsCommander-in-chief of the 2nd Army Group, North China, Chief of Joint Staff
Battles / warsNorthern Expedition, Long March, Hundred Regiments Offensive, Chinese Civil War, Korean War, Sino-Indian War
Awards
Other workPolitician, Writer
Luo Ruiqing
Traditional Chinese羅瑞卿
Simplified Chinese罗瑞卿
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLuó Ruìqīng
Wade–GilesLo Jui-ch'ing

Luo Ruiqing (simplified Chinese: 罗瑞卿; traditional Chinese: 羅瑞卿; May 31, 1906 – August 3, 1978), formerly romanized as Lo Jui-ch'ing, was a Chinese army officer and politician, general of the People's Liberation Army. As the first Minister of Public Security from 1949 to 1959, he established the security and police apparatus of the People's Republic of China after the Communist victory in the civil war, and then served as the Chief of the Joint Staff from 1959 to 1965, achieving military victory in the Sino-Indian War.

Despite being a close associate and supporter of Mao Zedong for decades, Luo was targeted, purged, and severely beaten during the Cultural Revolution, which he opposed from the beginning.